The Field Family Newsletter, Edition 21

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The FIELD Family Newsletter

21st Edition, February 2005, Edited by Dorothy Cefarin
Reproduced here with permission

Babies are Beautiful

CONGRATULATIONS

To Robyn and Wayne Davis on the birth of their son William Jack.

William was born in 2004. He weighed in at 3,680 grams. A brother for Wendy. All are doing well.

William is descended down through Edward, George, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Ronald Field and his father Wayne Davis.

CONGRATULATIONS

To Bruce and Jodie Edwards on the birth of their son Rogan James Edwards in 2004. Rogan is the 1st Grandson of Betty Edwards, a great nephew of Jack, Ray and Norma Edwards.

Rogan is descended down through Edward Field, Maria & John Rope, Robert & Hannah Rope, Matilda & William Honeysett, May & John Edwards, Alfred & Betty Edwards, Bruce & Jodie Edwards.

This item was taken from the November issue of the Rope-Pully Newsletter but is also of interest to The Field descendants.

OBITUARY

ESMA JOY KELLY
19/11/1941 - 24/7/2004

Eulogy

Esma Joy Kelly passed away suddenly from a heart attack on 24th July, 2004. Esma was born at Cracow hospital on 19th November, 1941 the youngest of four children to parents, Tom and Mary McMillan. She attended school at Theodore to scholarship level and excelled in sewing and dressmaking. Her first job was at Holmes Drapery. She then moved and was an office girl at Moss’ Motors and often told stories of pranks as the “boys” educated her on the workings of engines. I understand brother-in-law Jimmy Connellan was one of the “Boys”.

In about 1956, a young Don Kelly arrived in Theodore working as a bridge carpenter with the Qld. Railways, and it wasn’t long before he started courting Esma on his motorbike. A city boy, Don was soon shown the ways of the McMillan dairy farm and was warmly welcomed into the dance parties held regularly in the local hall. They later married at Theodore and set up home at Baralaba, where their daughters Jean and Denise were born. Esma began dressmaking from home and Don continued bridge carpentry.

The Kelly family then moved to Bundaberg in 1964 where Don worked at the local Blockyard. They bought their first home in Boundry Street, where they established Kelly’s Aquarium. They also established Kelly’s Pet Shop and ran the businesses between 1968-1977. After selling the shops, Esma opened a clothing manufacturing business and operated it for 7 years specializing in Bridal Wear.. She then began marketing Philippine Woodcarvings and Sarah Coventry Jewellery. Later Esma opened a dress shop that traded for 8 years. Esma was a very well known business woman around Bundaberg and South East Qld.

The Kellys also ran a fishing business after the pet shops and Esma provided great support and back-up to Don while he was at sea for extended periods.

At this stage both Jean and Denise were married and produced three fun-loving, adventurous grandsons. Ryan, Dean and Hayden, they brought endless joy to Esma’s life, in return she gave the boys lots of love and encouragement plus demonstrated what it means to have a great sense of humour and plenty of patience. Christmas time was always a special occasion and the family has many happy memories of Christmas mornings together at Grandma and Poppy’s place.

In her younger days Esma loved to dance. She won prizes for knitting and embroidery, was a keen gardener and loved animals. Even though she couldn’t own one, her favourite was an elephant. She collected numerous carvings of them over the years and was well known for it.

Don and Esma recently enjoyed traveling around Australia and they often took bush walks and rock hopping which she loved.

Esma was a people person and enjoyed visiting friends and relatives along their travels. She shared many photos and stories with her family whe they arrived home. A thoughtful, supportive and very caring person, Esma will be greatly missed by Don her husband of 43 years, her daughters Jean and Denise and their families, her sisters Grace and Lola, her brother Henry, her mother-in-law Jean and brothers-in-law Allen and Bobby, and all their families.. plus the many friends that Esma has touched throughout her life.

Sadly missed. Esma Kelly is a very special lady.

Read by Esma’s nephew, David Schofield.
Slightly condensed version.

Esma’s lineage is:
Elizabeth Mitchell
Sarah Mitchell & James Morris
George Morris & Jane Lamb
Charlotte C. Morris & Frederick G. Williams
Ada Williams & Alfred Nowland
Mary Nowland & Frederick T. McMillan
Esma McMillan

OBITUARY

JAMES WILLIAM MICHEAL COOK
1960 - 14/11/2004

James William Michael Cook late of Cecil Plains, passed away on 14th November, 2004, aged 44 years.

Beloved husband of Caroline. Dearly loved father and father-in-law of Michael and Renee, Sarah and John, Natasha and Klemmy, and Steven. Most loved and cherished Poppy of Lachie. Dearly loved son of Michael and Margaret. Loved brother and brother-in-law of Tracy and Doug, Graham and Donna, and Louise. Loved uncle of their respected families. Loved grandson of Adele Gall (Nan). Loved nephew of Bill Cook (Riley).

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Jamie’s funeral, to be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, cnr. Cunningham and Bunya Streeta, Dalby, prayers commencing at 1.00 pm. Friday (19th November, 2004), followed by interment at the Myall Remembrance Park.

Rest in God’s Care.

James’ lineage is:
Elizabeth Mitchell
Sarah Mitchell & James Morris
George Morris & Jane Lamb
Charlotte C. Morris & Frederick G. Williams
Ada Williams & Alfred Nowland
Adele Nowland & James Gall
Margaret Gall & Michael Cook
James Cook & Caroline

Esma and James are now

“Safe In The Arms Of Jesus”

In regards to the questions in our last edition from Sally..I have heard from Norma Edwards and she has sent Sally lots of information.

I have asked The Friends Of Castlereagh Cemetery about this and they are unable to help. Anglican records show that there are nearly 400 graves on that sight but only about 80 are still visible. There are no official records of where people are buried only the head stones that remain.

The burial requirements are also unclear as to who was allowed to be buried with who though in the case of John Tindale he died in 1836 and was buried in the same grave of his daughter Fanny who died in 1835 (aged 2 years).

Congratulations

Thomas & Pam McMillan who married in 1954
Lola & James Connellan who married in 1954
As you celebrated your 50th Wedding Anniversary with family and friends.

Adele Gall celebrated her 90th birthday in 2004 with a picnic lunch at Toowoomba with her devoted family and friends. Happy Birthday Adele...

WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOUR???

This letter was received after the November Edition:

Dear Dorothy,

I was reading Albert Wilcox’s obituary and realised this was the man from whom my husband Bill had bought organic wheat for some years also a grinder to process it for our bread.

When we picked up our last supply in 2003, Mr. Wilcox was living in Eugowra and helping his incapacitated wife. Bill was always impressed by his health and vitality, his memories and his bright blue sparkling eyes. Now he finds they are both Field descendants.

I couldn’t work out where the “guru - health nut” trait originated but can now blame Edward or Elizabeth Field!

We will always miss Mr. Wilcox and his wonderful wheat.

Yours sincerely

Kate Cunningham.

INFORMATION PLEASE

Does anyone have any information on Margaret McMahon? She married William Field on 17/2/1848 after Elizabeth Randall died. Our information says she was born about 1823 in County Clare, Ireland. Was she a convict? What ship did she arrive on? Was she born on the way here? What year did she arrive? There doesn’t seem to be a birth certificate for her. Was she only 14 years old when she had her 1st child? Her Gr.Gr. Grandaughter wants to know more about her

PLEASE if you can help with the above or if you have any stories about our ancestors send them to me
Dorothy Cefarin
24 Eggleton Street
Blacktown 2148 NSW
Phone; 02-9671-2129
e-mail: doff202@comcen.com.au

Thank you to Pan Wilcox, Kate Cunningham, Sue James and Grace Schofield for your contribution to “The Field Family Newsletter”, without your help, it would not exist.

Betty Elizabeth Sarah – (Dixon) Mitchell Field

Who was she?

When I first heard about her I was fascinated.
What a difficult and hard life she had!
What courage and strength she had!
What a great achievement in life she had!

We know so little about Elizabeth Mitchell’s life before she arrived in the early Colony of New South Wales. All English records pre- 1791 refer to her as Betty and as Betty is how I think of her. She was born in approximately 1869-70 and was probably brought up in poor circumstances as she was illiterate. I have an in-law who lives within miles of Trowbridge, now the county seat of Wiltshire, where as far as we know, her story begins. This has allowed me to spend hours reading through parish registers for births deaths and marriages, the poor law lists, apprenticeship lists and lists of people moved on from town after the ‘Enclosure Acts’. (The Enclosures Act forced the fencing of the village commons where landless people could no longer graze their cow pig or few sheep.) I also obtained the services of a researcher; however, all this was to no avail. I cannot identify Betty with any combination of her possible names or connections with Sarah and Mary Mitchell.

Some Field family members believe she was married early and her maiden name was Dixon. However, neither the IGI nor the above registers show any marriages between the names Dixon and Mitchell (either way) anywhere in the south of England during the 1780s.

Perhaps she was not formally married? My researcher tells me that after Hardwick’s Marriage Act of 1753 better records were kept and marriage became less expensive for the poor. The Commissioners for the Poor ensured that couples cohabitating were married. This was so they could keep track of the moving population and especially to find the parents of any abandoned children. If Betty had married or had a liaison it is likely she would have had children by the age of twenty when she was arrested.

What do we definitely know about Betty?

The Salisbury and Wiltshire Journal tells us on the 6th Jan, & 8th March 1790 that Betty Mitchell was arrested on the 1st January, 1790 and charged with:-
burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling house of John Helps in the parish of Trowbridge about one in the morning of 30th Dec. last and stealing thereout five cheeses and other goods val. 30 shillings & 6d.

She was then taken to Fisherton Anger Goal outside New Sarum (Salisbury) the then country seat of Wiltshire.

At the same time Sarah Mitchell was arrested and charged with:-
Feloniously receiving five cheeses and one pair of cotton gloves parcel and p. Knowing the same to be stolen.

Sarah was taken to the Bridewell at Devises.

Mary Mitchell with:- house breaking. There is no evidence that Mary was imprisoned.

The Salisbury & Wiltshire Journal, 15th March, 1790 in its ‘Report of The Lent Assizes’ tell us:- “Betty Mitchell for assisting in breaking open the dwelling house of John Helps of Studley and stealing five cheeses and other articles . . . guilty
Sentenced: to be transported for seven years”. Note the word assisting.
Sarah and Mary Mitchell acquitted. Discharged.

From the Report of the “Wilts Lent Circuit 1779 – 30th Geo:3.”
Betty Mitchell: guilty of stealing the goods –
not guilty of breaking and entering the house in the night.
Sentence: to be transported beyond the seas for the term of seven years.

Sarah Mitchell: not guilty of feloniously receiving (goods) knowing the same to be stolen. Discharged.

Mary Mitchell: being admitted evidences let (her) be discharged.

Witnesses: Betty Mitchell John Helps, William Smith and Elizabeth Helps.
Witnesses: Mary Mitchell John Helps and Thomas Beverstock.

It appears that Mary gave evidence against Betty and then Betty took full the punishment for the crime.In 1790, theft to the value of 30 shillings, 30/- was a capital offence. So I believe Betty was very lucky that she did not receive the death sentence or fourteen years transportation.

(At the same Assizes three men received death sentences. One for stealing a gelding the second for breaking and entering and stealing diverse articles and the third for stealing two sheep - luckily they were all reprieved. Their Honours the judges, Sir Beaumont Hotham and Sir Richard Penryn must have felt lenient that day. It is interesting to note that two men charged with murder were found guilty of manslaughter, fined one shilling and released. Property was more important than life.)

The quarterly ‘Calendar of returns for Fisherton Anger Goal’ shows Betty Mitchell was imprisoned at Fisherton Anger Goal in June, September and December 1790. She does not appear in the Calendar again and this would mean she was removed to London to board the ship ‘Mary Ann’ for transportation to New South Wales leaving in January 1791.

What do we know about where the crime took place?

Trowbridge is in the west of Wiltshire just east of Dorset and Summerset. These counties were famous for their sheep and wool. In the 1780s Trowbridge was a fast growing town with well established broadloom weaving and fulling (felting) cottage industries. Within twenty years large weaving factories were built taking the town into the industrial era. In the town and villages in the district there were a large number of Nonconformist and Low Church protestant religious practices.

Studley, now a locality within the greater town of Trowbridge, was a village just outside the town. It had a single street of stone houses. Each house had two rooms up and two rooms down and an attic in the roof which was reached by a ladder. It was in the attic that the man of the house set up his broad loom and spent his days using both hands and feet to weave his beautiful wool fabrics. This village backed onto lush farming land which would have supported large farms running sheep and dairy cattle.

Who were the Mitchell women?

The Mitchell women could have been part of the itinerant poor who came into the towns after the Enclosures Act when landless people had to scavenge a living off the countryside. They may have belonged to a broad loom weaver’s family or been dairy maids at a farm.

Who was John Helps?

In my research I found a John Helps who had been apprenticed as a broadloom weaver in 1775. If this was our John Helps, in 1789 he would have been be a Master Weaver. He could have set up a household in Studley; however, he would have not been a wealthy man. I have been informed that Wiltshire cheese in 1789 was a hard cheese made into a wide flat wheel shape approximately two feet in diameter and two to three inches thick. Each one is quite heavy and one woman would not be able to carry five, plus other articles. I think it is unlikely that a broadloom weaver would have five of these cheeses in his house and it is more likely that John Helps was a farmer with a number of servants who were later to be witnesses at the trial. Betty may have been one of these servants (a milkmaid perhaps) as it would appear that she knew the layout of the house for her and Mary to enter it in the dark at one in the morning. It is interesting to remember that she was acquitted of ‘assisting breaking and entering’ and convicted of ‘stealing’.

I feel that Betty was a strong and courageous woman living a difficult life. Her family must have been in dire straits for them to risk stealing something so hard to hide as five large cheeses. She took the punishment for the theft and was sent away from her family for ever. Did they visit her in Fisherton Anger goal to say goodbye before leaving for London and New South Wales? Whether they did or not she found the stamina to survive the long voyage to New South Wales in appalling conditions. She then to arrive in July 1791, in the middle of winter to a land with flimsy shelter and the population half starved and subject to harsh discipline.

It appears that she turned to James Wilson, a ships officer for protection and within a year gave birth to a daughter. On the birth certificate she called herself Sarah Mitchell and she also called her daughter Sarah. Then, when her first child with Edward Field was born she called that daughter Mary-Ann and again when Edward Field junior was born she again called herself Sarah Mitchell. The names Sarah and Mary were very important to her and this is why I wonder about her marriage into the Mitchell family. Would she have felt the same if they were her in- laws?

Betty’s country background would have made her an ideal farmer’s wife to Edward Field in the colony and if she had been a dairy maid she may have avoided the pock marks that many female convicts were described as having by contemporary writers.

We know little of Betty - Elizabeth - Sarah’s first few years of life in the colony. When did she and Edward first meet? They must have been together by 1793. Mary Ann, Edward’s daughter was born in 1794. Was she his assigned servant? Did she live on his land grant of twenty five acres in the present Five Dock area? Or, did she live near Army Barracks in Sydney, Parramatta or Hawkesbury? Edward left the army in 1801 and they were probably living at Castlereagh before 1803 when Edward’s land grant was gazetted. The Low Church religions practiced in the locality of her early years would have made it easy for her to join the newly established Methodist community some years later.

Being sent to New South Wales may at first appear catastrophic, but later it can be seen as fortunate for Betty. At the end of her life she had achieved a comfortable home and I think the love and respect of a large prospering family. This may not have happened if she had stayed in England.

I would love to know if she was known as Betty, Elizabeth or Sarah to, her family and friends in New South Wales.

Note: I have copies of all references and I look forward to comments and further information form readers

This article was researched and printed by Sue James. THANK YOU SUE.